Frenchieboy Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I had to re-zero my .22LR rifle this evening as I have had it stripped right down for a thorough clean, so as it was a dry evening with rubbish on TV off I went to a farm where I shoot regularly. On arrival the farmer said for me that I should go and visit a neighbouring farmer (Whose land borders part of his land) because he too wanted the rabbits "thinning out", so off I went and got the permission sorted and then returned to the original farm to zero the rifle. Ok with the rifle zeroed up again and another permission under my belt I decided to have a walk up where there is a fair population of rabbits that I had been asked to thin out. This is where things really kicked off. It is a bit of a "story" so please bare with me: I was walking close to the boundary fence of the permission when I spotted a "chap" about 200 yards from me. He walking across the next field and looked like he was "beckoning me over"! As I do not have permission over that side of the fence I unloaded and made my rifle safe and hung it by the sling on my shooting tripod with the magazine in my pocket and waited by the fence and waited on my side of the fence (Where I have permission) rather than crossing over to a field where I do not have permission. This chap who looked rather like a very scruffy, unwashed and unshaven version of Billy Connolly(sp) arrived at the fence after walking through all the marsh grass and rushed in his slippers and no socks and ashouted me "What the **** do you think you are doing, you and your gun are making me very angry"! I replied that I was doing exactly what the landowner had asked me to and that I was perfectly legally thinning out the rabbits for him. With that this "gentleman" (And I call him that rather tongue in cheek) started ranting on about shooting rabbits out of season and when they had young to feed. I replied that rabbits are vermin and as such there is no closed season and they tend to breed most of the year round anyway and need to be controlled. He wasn't having any of it and started calling me all the cruel so and so's under the sun and then started off about me shooting crows and magpies as well out of season. I tried to keep my cool and explained that corvids, magpies and jays etc were on General License and as such were classed as vermin and had no closed season. With that he said he had never heard of this "General License" thing and "what would the RSPB have to say about it as they did no harm to the countrysid whatsoever" and that he would like me to show a copy of it to him. By this time I was starting to loose my patience with this chap and (Baring in mind he is a farmer) his lack of knoweledge about vermin and General license so I told him that he would be better to ask the police for a copy and to explain it to him. He then repeated (With his face getting redder and redder - I thought he was going to blow a gasket) that he was furious about me and my gun and the way that I was shooting everything out of season and how cruel a ******* ******* I was. Again I stated that i was acting perfectly legally and that i was shooting under the landowners direct request and that I intended to continue doing so, to which he said that he would not only be speaking to the landowner but also to the police. With that I decided that enough was enough and that he was starting to get a bit too irate for my liking and that the best thing to do was to walk away. As I started to walk away and picked up my (Unloaded) rifle to which he then started shouting that the last time I was there shooting crows I had been frightening his sheep. This annoyed me so I turned and asked how that could be when his sheep were something like 600 yards from where i had been using the shotgun and the landowners sheep, lambs, cows, calfs and horses who were less that 150 yards from where I was shooting had not showed the slightest signs of being disturbed. He had no answer to that except that he was going to complain to the police. With that I had had enough and there was no real option left but to walk away rather than saying anything else. When i got back to where my car was I had a word with the landowner and explained what had happened. He suggested that I should cover my back and report the "incident/confrontaion" to the police and that he would back me up to the hilt as we both felt that this "gentleman" was going to try to cause trouble for me every thime i go to that permission in the future and the landowner did not want me to stop shooting vermin on his land and that he had always been happy with the way that I had conducted myself. I and always very wary of any "confrontation" when I am out with either a shotgun or a rifle so I have phoned the police and given them all the details and they have given me a log number. They have also suggested that I should call my firearms office in the morning and give them the log number in case there are any further "incidents"! What would you guy do when faced with such an ignorant and irate anti shooting farmer who obviously knows nothing about the law but is determined to try to cause an argument or trouble? 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HDAV Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 You could not have done more Frenchie, crack on as usual and enjoy your sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 If he's truly a farmer, he needs educating in his obligations to control vermin rather than rant at someone like you. Sounds like you handled it very well, not sure everyone would stay so calm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Only other thing you could possibly have done, when he started kicking off, was to start recording the audio on a mobile phone. But hindsight is a wonderful thing - we've all got 20:20 vision with it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 You could not have done more Frenchie, crack on as usual and enjoy your sport. I intend to and the landowners who own the neighbouring land do not want me to stop shooting the vermin - But I could do without the agro as I much prefer a "quiet life" especially when I am carrying a firearm! If he does try to make more trouble for me I might make a quick call to the RSPCA or "whoever" and suggest that they go and have a look at a few of the "fallen" sheep on his land whose carcasses have been left lying in the field for at least a week - A fact that I know with great certaintity! The biggest problem (And I'm sure many of us have come across it0 is that you just can't talk to some people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eccles Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Well done on keeping your cool Pete. There are some people out there who ain't got a clue about shooting. You just can't talk to them had a few people move here from the cities they buy a house then think they own all the land round it. Had a few words with a few of them i just tell them go and see the farmer whose land i'm on and tell him. None have never done so. i know what they would tell them and it would not be nice. atb Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Only other thing you could possibly have done, when he started kicking off, was to start recording the audio on a mobile phone. But hindsight is a wonderful thing - we've all got 20:20 vision with it ! Yes, hindsight is a wonderful thing but you live and learn. I have a small pocket camcorder which I might well get into the habit of carrying with me whenever I go to that farm again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie57 Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Sounds like a but if a lune ! Suggest filming him next time with your phone, at least then you will have evidence should it go a bit pear shaped. This usually does the trick with people having a go it really winds them up and they end up storming off ******* and blinding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) In situations like that ,take phone out of pocket turn video record on and video everything,then it shows what a tit he is and that you acted calmly,then just walk away and ignore him. Beaten to it Edited June 5, 2014 by welsh1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RED BEARD Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 when someones abusive and irate i don't even bother wasting my breath,as they won't listen anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Sounds like a but if a lune ! Suggest filming him next time with your phone, at least then you will have evidence should it go a bit pear shaped. This usually does the trick with people having a go it really winds them up and they end up storming off ******* and blinding. "A bit of a lune" isn't exactly the way that the farmer who owns the land that I was shootin on described him, but if I typed what he said about this "gentleman" I would almost certainly gett barred from the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett1985 Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) Meh, seems to me like you handled the situation perfectly. wouldnt worry too much, if the guy turns up again just smile and leave. I wouldnt even give him the satisfaction of having another conversation with him... perfect case of not being able to educate pork me thinks! well done for showing restraint and acting so responsibly. Edited June 5, 2014 by brett1985 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie57 Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Sounds like with those carcasses on his land he may have gone a bit mad in his old age. Be good for you to find out if he has any guns! If he does the FO may also have some concerns with his behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Sounds like with those carcasses on his land he may have gone a bit mad in his old age. Be good for you to find out if he has any guns! If he does the FO may also have some concerns with his behaviour. He doesn't shoot nor does he have any guns. The ironic thing is that I am led to believe he used to do quite a bit of shooting in his younger days. Meh, seems to me like you handled the situation perfectly. wouldnt worry too much, if the guy turns up again just smile and leave. I wouldnt even give him the satisfaction of having another conversation with him... perfect case of not being able to educate pork me thinks! well done for showing restraint and acting so responsibly. I hear what you are saying but under the circumstances I think I would be sort of happy to have another "run in" with him, as long as I have my little video camera with me to show the police or my FEO what sort of a dim wit I am up against! I like to think that I am quite good at keeping my cool when faced with fools! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Mongrel- Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) Farmer? I suspect not. More likely a 'gentleman' of means who decided he fancied the country life, bought a house with 'a bit of land' and decide he really should have a pop at this livestock malarkey! You did everything you should, now crack on with your business and let him mind his! Edited June 5, 2014 by -Mongrel- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I would have thought that your land owners would pay him a visit and have a stiff chat with him about harrasing you whilst on their ground carrying out their instructions and have a word to the firearms dept about it. This situation shouldn't fall down on you to sort out this potential problem and it would carry a great deal more weight coming from the landowners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Just walk away straight away, you don't need to give him any explanations as long as you are not on his land... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Well done with the way you handled it the only thing you didn't do that I try to do in any of these situation is record them, not admissible in court but shows you told the truth if the police want to listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Well done Pete, I hope he causes you no more problems! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 He has a point about summer hunters though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted June 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Well done Pete, I hope he causes you no more problems! I would like to think that I have heard the last of him but I somehow very much doubt it, I suspect that he is one of those that will go out of their way to cause as much grief/trouble as possible for me whenever I shoot there (Which I fully intend continuing to do on a regular basis - At the landowners request) which is why I am going to have a chat with my FEO/Firearms Office this morning about the situation and give them the log number that the police gave me past night which refers to the "incident" - Just to cover my own back if there are any further "confrontations" or problems with this "gentleman". P.S. I wish I didn't feel obliged to be so polite at times and call him a Gentleman, but I don't fancy a warning from the mods for being honest and calling him exactly what I do think of him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted June 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 He has a point about summer hunters though. Yes, I agree that he does have a point about "Summer Hunting" but when a landowner stated that he wants you to cull/thin out the rabbit population as much as possible straight away what can you do - It then becomes plain and simple vermin control and not hunting for the pot, a very necessary job that has to be done. If I don't do it then I might well loose the permission along with several others which this landowner has helped me to get and if I did there will almost certainly be someone willing to step into my shoes and do it regardless of the time of year? If you do have a viable answer/solution to this then please do put it forwards and I would happily consider it, and I really am not saying that to try to be awkward or put you on the spot, I would welcome any viable option! Plus of course we have to face the fact that often rabbits can now be found to be breeding throughout most months of the year and not just in summer time, especially when we have a mild winter like the one we have just experienced.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 A few *#~'s covers a multitude of sins. I would like to think that I have heard the last of him but I somehow very much doubt it, I suspect that he is one of those that will go out of their way to cause as much grief/trouble as possible for me whenever I shoot there (Which I fully intend continuing to do on a regular basis - At the landowners request) which is why I am going to have a chat with my FEO/Firearms Office this morning about the situation and give them the log number that the police gave me past night which refers to the "incident" - Just to cover my own back if there are any further "confrontations" or problems with this "gentleman". P.S. I wish I didn't feel obliged to be so polite at times and call him a Gentleman, but I don't fancy a warning from the mods for being honest and calling him exactly what I do think of him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 sorry to hear this FB. I find my phone camera and voice recorder very effective. What people say on and off "recording" are often very different...... it might help in the future. do you think he was on drugs or alcohol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Yes, I agree that he does have a point about "Summer Hunting" but when a landowner stated that he wants you to cull/thin out the rabbit population as much as possible straight away what can you do - It then becomes plain and simple vermin control and not hunting for the pot, a very necessary job that has to be done. If I don't do it then I might well loose the permission along with several others which this landowner has helped me to get and if I did there will almost certainly be someone willing to step into my shoes and do it regardless of the time of year? If you do have a viable answer/solution to this then please do put it forwards and I would happily consider it, and I really am not saying that to try to be awkward or put you on the spot, I would welcome any viable option! Plus of course we have to face the fact that often rabbits can now be found to be breeding throughout most months of the year and not just in summer time, especially when we have a mild winter like the one we have just experienced.. People say that they rabbits are breeding through out the year but when I used to ferret I never found any pregnant doe or milky does until march when I used to leave it for the year. Personally I have never seen young, I mean weeks old bunnies in the winter. With ferreting and lamping in the winter, you can basically wipe out the population for the farmer, rather than chasing the growing population in the summer. As well as being milky and full of fleas. Same with crows, alot of people are shooting then on the crops, but they should be targeted throughout the winter before they get a chance to breed and then it's too late and you are shooting the recent nest leavers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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